Blur
by jesi lily
Summary: I’m Isabella Potter, I'm the daughter of Hermione and Harry Potter. I have a best friend called Emmett, who has a girlfriend. I have a friend called Leo who doesn't. But sometimes we only learn from our mistakes.
1. Chapter 1

I am Isabella Potter, daughter of Harry and Hermione Potter.

I am a pretty normal teenage girl, considering,

But I live in pretty abnormal world.

~*~

"Mum, this is getting a little bit silly," Isabella complained as she wandered around the store after her mum.

"Isabella, you know how much this means to your father," Hermione said to her daughter, sighing.

"Yeah, but it means very little to me," Isabella whined, and it was true, it was great what here parents were doing, but a ball like this was not her idea of fun times.

"You should be excited, why aren't you excited?" Hermione asked, she looked concerned now, not good.

"I am excited!" Isabella said meekly, Hermione raised an eyebrow at her. "Look I know dad thinks my birthday is a big deal, but it really isn't."

"Bella, you are his only daughter, his only child, he really wants to make a big deal over this because he won't be able to do it again, now will you please try and enjoy this party, please?" Hermione practically begged her daughter.

"Fine, I'll go to the stupid party and I'll hate every moment with a huge smile on my face," Isabella said finally, her mum beamed at her. "I still don't see why it is such a big deal to him."

"Because you're turning into a beautiful young woman, and he wants to celebrate that," Hermione explained, she smiled at her daughter. "Anyway, all your friends are coming."

"I know my friends are coming, I invited them, but it isn't just my friends, is it. Loads of your friends are coming," Isabella pointed out.

"This would look lovely on you," Hermione said holding up a pretty pink dress, Isabella looked at it with narrow eyes. It would, her mother was right, but it was pink. "Try it on?" Isabella wasn't given a chance to answer; her mother literally pushed her into the changing room, but not before forcing the dress into her hands.

Dressing rooms were hell to a girl like Isabella, too many mirrors.

That's not saying Isabella wasn't pretty, but she wasn't outstanding in the way some people were. Or at least that's how she saw herself

She had long dark hair, not quite black but too dark to be brown. Emerald eyes, just like her father. Pale skin, not as pale as her father, but rather more like her mother. She was tall and slim like her mother, but she still had slight curves, she wasn't a stick in anyway.

Really she was pretty average looking, at Hogwarts there were a lot of girls who were much prettier then herself; they were usually the ones that wore tiny tops and skirts that resembled something closer to a belt.

"Let's see it then!" Her mother called. Taking a deep breath Isabella pulled back the curtain that hid her from the world and looked up to meet her mum's eye. Her mother looked at her with wide tearful eyes; she brought her hands up to cover her mouth. "You look so beautiful." She mumbled, blinking back tears

"Thanks mum," Isabella said feeling slightly awkward, it was just a dress.

"Do you like it?" Hermione asked, almost reluctantly, fearing her daughter will say no, but Isabella felt bad for being moody about the party already, and it was a nice dress, so she smiled at her mum and nodded. "Well, we'll get some things to go with it." She said softly, Isabella nodded and changed back into her jeans and t-shirt, putting the dress on its hanger and handing it to her mum to carry.

* * *

"Mum you know I won't be able to walk in those!" Isabella laughed as her mum held up a pair of high heeled shoes; Hermione rolled her eyes at the sixteen year old.

"You could learn," Hermione insisted.

"Without breaking my neck?" Isabella asked grinning, she looked around and saw another pair, they were silver and would go nicely with the dress, plus they weren't nearly as high. "What about these?"

Hermione looked at the shoes and smiled.

"Perfect," She said happily. "Now all we need is jewellery, though, maybe we should get you some make-up, I mean, do you really have anything?"

"Other then the Mascara and Lip-gloss Ginny got me for Christmas, not really," Isabella replied furrowing her brows, she wasn't good at makeup, only ever really grasping how to apply mascara without smudging it recently.

"Maybe we should get someone in; it is after all a special event," Hermione said thoughtfully, and relief washed over Isabella, that was a good idea. "Do you want your hair done?"

"I was going to ask Ginny," Isabella replied instantly.

"Well of course we'll have Ginny do it, but is there anything you want done, I had mine put up for the Yule ball, and again for my wedding," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Hadn't really thought much about it mum," Isabella admitted. Other then knowing it would be Ginny who did her hair she hadn't thought twice about it, Ginny was the obvious choice, as well as being her parents' best friend she was also a famous hair stylist now.

"Well, we'll talk to her later about it, now come on; we need to find you some jewellery," Hermione said.

Isabella rolled her eyes, she knew full well that when her mother was her age she wasn't interested in make-up and clothes, but ever since she realised Isabella was in fact growing up she had started taking an interest in it all. Or maybe she was like what happened with Ginny, who hadn't realised she was any good with hair until she started doing her own for social parties and such, and now she was famous for it. Either way, her mother had developed a small (Understatement much?) liking for shopping. Mind you she earns the money to be able to afford it.

Hermione Potter was a world renowned author as well as working for the ministry under the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures. Her father, Harry Potter was the youngest Head Auror, ever. Money would have hardly be a problem if neither of the worked anyway, they had inherited the Potter Fortune.

Eventually Hermione had found something which she and Isabella could agree upon and then they left the busying streets and returned home. The house was empty when they arrived, as Harry was still at work.

Well when I say the house was empty that doesn't include Delilah, their house elf, which Harry had convinced Hermione to keep, as long as they paid her for her work and she was given holidays.

"Hello Delilah," Isabella said as she passed the house elf as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hello Missus Isabella. Can Delilah help with anything?" The house elf squeaked, looking up at Isabella with big blue eyes.

"I'm alright thanks," The sixteen year old replied with a smile, Delilah nodded and left the room.

"Sweetheart your dress is in your closet, and your jewellery is on your dressing table!" Hermione called from the living room.

"Thanks mum." Isabella replied, she sighed and leaned against the counter. Across from her on the wall hung loads of photos. Each was perfect, happy and brilliant.

She was in her own world staring at a picture of herself and her father sitting together on the sofa, he was reading to her and Hermione had snuck up and taken a photo by surprise, that's when Ariel, her barn owl, flew through the window.

_Bells_

_Nice to hear from you so soon, glad you're feeling good, mum tells me your birthday party is due just before you head back to good old Hogwarts, though I dunno why Harry and Hermione are even bothering, it's not like you're going to survive the year without me._

_Australia has been good, it's different over here, you'd love it. Father insists that I am going to end up lost in the middle of the out back, mum seems to agree with him._

_I miss you loads, I will manage to get back in time for your birthday, promise._

_Emmett._

Isabella smiled at the letter, it wasn't as long as she had hoped it would be, and he didn't go into any detail at all, but she was glad to hear from her oldest friend.

Emmett Malfoy, the son of Draco and Ginny Malfoy, a year older than Isabella, had gone off to Australia for the year, and he expected her to survive on her own. It was bad enough he wouldn't be at Hogwarts with her, to then find he wouldn't even be in the same country.

"Bella!" She heard a familiar voice cry, and before she even had time to look up she found herself in an even more familiar embrace.

"DAD! You're home early!" Isabella cried hugging her dad back with just as much enthusiasm.

"They didn't need me there, so I decided to come home early and see my two favourite ladies," Harry said with a chuckle kissing the top of his daughters head. "Where's your mum?"

"I'm here,," Hermione said, leaning against the doorframe, smile playing on her face.

Harry pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her deeply, causing Isabella to cringe, covering her eyes.

Hermione laughed at her daughter.

"Who wrote to you?" Hermione asked as she stood up straight.

"Emmett, he's enjoying Australia," Isabella replied, a mixture of happy and sad.

"He'll be home soon enough," Hermione said with a knowing smile at her daughter. Though her daughter was of course clueless about her own feelings, typical teenager.

* * *

"So tomorrow, you excited?" Harry asked as he sat with Isabella outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, both of them were holding a tub of ice cream that was melting quickly in the summer heat of mid august.

"Excited and nervous," Isabella admitted, shovelling ice cream into her mouth. Harry grinned at her. "I can see Emily coming now, dad. I'll be home by eight, that's alright isn't it?" Isabella asked as she stood up and picked up her handbag.

"Of course," Harry replied as he too stood up, Isabella kissed him on the cheek swiftly before disappearing into the crowds towards her friend; Harry chuckled to himself and made towards the Gringotts.

"Emily!" Isabella cried hugging her friend. Emily grinned as she returned the hug. The pair linked arms and made their way towards the nearest café for a cold drink.

Emily Davis was Isabella's second best friend, a seventh year (or well, will be at least) Ravenclaw, the pair had met on the train, and hit it off instantly. Emily was smaller then Isabella, with short blonde hair and striking blue eyes, her skin was pale, almost glowing, and she was stunning in Isabella's eyes, or well everyone's really.

"How's Emmett?" Emily asked slyly as the waiter set their drinks down on the table.

"I got a letter from him, but it was only short," Isabella replied obliviously.

"Well at least he replied, y'know it takes Hugo weeks to reply to any of my letters if at all, and we've been going out for almost two years," Emily said pointedly, Hugo Weasley was the son of Ron and Lavender, the same age as Emily and Isabella, well in years at least, maturity was another matter altogether.

"Don't be too hard on Hugo; he ain't the brightest of the bunch," Isabella said fondly, she got on well with Hugo, well not surprising since she was practically raised with the Weasleys and Malfoys for that matter.

"You date him then," Emily said rolling her eyes, then laughed when she caught the expression on Isabella's face. Gross much?

"If I could go back in time I would never introduce you two," Isabella promised with a smirk, Emily rolled her eyes again.

"So any _lurve_ interests?" Emily asked teasingly. She already knew the answer.

"Nothing has caught my eye." Isabella replied with a shrug.

It was the exactly same answer every time anyone ever asked her any variation of that question. Anyone who wasn't Isabella could see the girl was bloody well blind to her own feelings. But Isabella was Isabella.

"I heard Melinda got caught by her dad drinking," Emily informed Isabella with a smirk. "And when I say drinking I mean she was wasted, and in a very compromising position with Fabian Clark."

"You are such a gossip Emily," Isabella laughed, still wondering after all these years how Emily managed to stay out of Slytherin.

"It's a talent," Emily replied grinning.

"More like a damn curse, boring much?" Isabella said with a laugh.

See how this friendship works? Emily Davis, the popular girl with a bit of heart, and a big mouth. Isabella Potter, the quiet one, with a lot of friends. Yes both were popular, but in different ways. Emily was the definition of 'the popular girl'; Isabella had popularity thrust upon her as the (kinda) downside to having a lot of friends.

"Shut up, you know you love it really," Emily drawled with a grin. Isabella was the one to roll her eyes this time.

"Yeah like a hole in my head."

Eventually the sun begun to set and Isabella checked her watch to realised it was starting to get late and her mum would start to worry, regardless of what her dad said.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Isabella asked as she got to her feet.

"Bet your pretty little head I'll be there," Emily replied as she paid their tab.

The two girls embraced before leaving towards different ends of the street.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Ginny asked as she smiled at her work. Isabella turned slowly to face the mirror; her hair was looking pretty good. It was waist length, and done into big barrel curls, only it was pulled into a half pony tail, held together by a pink sapphire clip.

"I really like it," Isabella said smiling at Ginny, the older woman grinned.

"I knew you would," Ginny said, running her hand through her own shoulder length ruby locks.

There was a knock at the door and Isabella turned to see Emmett standing there. She smiled brightly.

And then she stopped smiling.

Beside him was a girl she did not recognise, and girl who was too tanned to be English, and too pretty for Isabella's liking.

"Bells, I wanted you to meet someone. I was going to write it in a letter but I just wanted you to meet her, this is Callie," Emmett said happily.

Callie smiled in a friendly way at Isabella who had simply frozen to the spot.

"Hey, I'm Emmett's girlfriend," Callie said.

"You don't mind do you, I mean I know it's your party and Callie isn't technically invited, but she doesn't know anyone in England, and I thought it would be nice to bring her with me." Emmett asked, he was grinning boyishly, oblivious to anything that might be wrong.

"O-of course not," Isabella replied tonelessly. Emmett grinned at her, and then left with a wink.

Bugger.


	2. Chapter 2

Isabella kept a smile on her face as she promised her mum she would, even though right now all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball, but for her dad she would continue smiling.

"You look breathtaking," Leo Finnigan said as he wrapped an arm around Isabella's waist. She smiled thankfully at him.

Truth be told she did look pretty fantastic, the dress she was wearing was dusty pick, halter neck, it was fitted until it reached her hips where it flared out until it reached her knees, just below her bust there was a hot pink sash. It was a nice dress.

"Thanks Leo," Isabella said quietly, Leo looked at her before turning towards Emmett and Callie.

"New flavour of the month?" He asked nodding in their direction.

"I dunno, he brought her back from Australia," Isabella said indifferently, Leo didn't believe it for a second.

"Wanna make him jealous?" Leo asked with a wink. Isabella laughed loudly, Leo was such a flirt.

"You'll be the first I call if ever I need to make anyone jealous," Isabella said as Emily walked towards the pair, she was hand in hand with a tall brown haired boy, Hugo.

"Happy Birthday Bella," Hugo said kissing Isabella's cheek.

"Thanks Hugo," Isabella said smiling at him. "I would have expected to see Rose around, I haven't seen her yet."

Hugo cringed.

"She's been with that Creevey kid," Hugo said looking towards the very far corner where Isabella had not thought to look; when she did she had rather wished she hadn't. Creevey had his tongue down Rose's throat; if Ron caught him them… well let's not go into that.

"Nice. Well at least some one is having fun," Isabella said. Emily nudged her.

"You're not letting Emmett's girlfriend get to you, right?" Emily said a bit peeved. "You are prettier, and smarter then her, seriously, she ain't that bright. Plus, we all know Emmett's got a thing for you." Emily said, Isabella flushed crimson.

"Apparently not enough," Isabella muttered, Emily looked sadly at her friend before glaring at Emmett, he was being rude, he hadn't talked to anyone but Callie all night, and it was getting Isabella down on her birthday, if she could get away with it Emily would have cursed the boy into next week.

"She's just a slut, and she'll be gone by Friday," Emily said confidently, Leo smirked at her.

"You are such a bitch," Leo said with a laugh.

"You know you love it," Emily replied with a wink.

"So what are you guys talking about then?" A familiar voice said appearing beside Isabella, why did he have to talk to them now?

"Just gossiping Emmett, do you expect much else when Emily is around?" Isabella said with a smile.

"Of course, everyone knows that Emily Davis is the biggest gossip in Europe," Emmett said grinning at Emily, who smiled nastily back, Emmett seemed quite taken aback by this. "I was only kidding Davis, not need to get pissed."

"Whatever Malfoy," Emily said nastily, Isabella cringed and was grateful when Hugo swept her up into his arms and away from them; Callie was beside Emmett looking slightly confused.

"I thought you said she was a friend of yours?" Callie whispered to Emmett nervously.

"Emily is just acting up, drama queen," Isabella said a little too innocently, Leo rolled his eyes, Callie looked unsure and Emmett looked pissed.

"So when is the crap going to stop?" Emmett asked annoyed. "Emily is not a drama queen and you've been offish all night."

"Come on Emmett, it's Izzy's birthday, no arguments," Leo said calmly. Emmett raised an eyebrow at Leo before stalking off with Callie.

* * *

"Mum I'm fine!" Isabella hissed as Hermione pulled her towards the cake that needed cutting.

"You didn't even smile when we brought the cake out, your dad was a little hurt by that, he thinks we should have gotten a bigger cake," Hermione informed her, Isabella rolled her eyes at her mother, exaggerating much? Well actually probably not, but still. Moody teen and all.

* * *

"That didn't go so well," Isabella said with a sigh as she downed her glass of champagne. "Actually a hurricane destroying the house, and everyone dying a painful death probably would have been better."

"You're being very negative about it all. I'm pretty sure Leo was enjoying himself," Emily said wickedly.

"Leo likes to watch the bitchiness. God! I can't believe he brought his _girlfriend_. I hope she realises by the end of the month it will be over," Isabella said, more cattily then she would if it were any of Emmett other girlfriends. This is probably because he brought her over from Australia. The champagne probably didn't help.

Emily eyed her pityingly. She saw it, everyone saw it, Emmett was getting serious. You don't just bring a girlfriend over from half way around the world if it's just a fling.

"You're right babe; anyway, you're still single, right? Have a bit of fun, live a little," Emily suggested smirking.

"What would dear Hugo be saying if he heard you talking like that?" Isabella shot at her friend, her own smirk plastered on.

"Oh, he's heard, well, encouraged worse from me," Emily's absolutely devilish smile told Isabella she really didn't want to know to what she was referring, and left it at that.

Isabella sighed, and placed her glass on the counter, when her dad walked up to her.

"Emily, why don't you take Isabella out for the night?" Harry suggested, smiling at his daughter. Isabella nearly choked. "It's her seventeenth birthday, and she's been hauled up in this fancy do all evening, and I think she could do with a different setting."

Emily was practically dancing on the spot as Isabella was absolutely floored.

"Nothing illegal, but the summer house is free," Harry said, he raised an eyebrow at his daughter and her best friend.

"Are you kidding me?" Isabella asked eventually.

Harry laughed.

"No, go on, it's your birthday, have fun," There was a loud squealing noise and suddenly his daughter had latched herself around his neck, and kissed his cheek. He couldn't help but laugh, she was so outstandingly happy.

"THANK YOU!" Isabella screamed, before grabbing Emily's hand in her own and dashing out of the room. "I won't be back tonight; I'm staying at Emily's!"

Harry nodded his head, walking in the opposite direction, back towards the library, Where he was sure he'd find him wife, he knew well enough that Isabella would not be staying at Emily's, and yet he couldn't bring himself to be too worried, because she was a sensible girl, and after all, it was her birthday.


	3. Chapter 3

It had taken Emily a total of fifteen minutes to get the word out to everyone they could possibly think of about the party, the offer to bring a friend or two was nicely added in at the end.

All that was needed now was a slight change of outfit.

Emily grinned, she rummaged through Isabella's wardrobe till she found a box she had stored there for safe keeping, Emily grinned at Isabella before tearing the lid off and pulling out her favourite leather skirt, and the tiniest red lace top she could possibly find.

"Here you go," Isabella said throwing on a pair of heels that her mum had given her a little while ago, with the expectation that she would need them for a school dance.

"What are you going to wear?" Emily asked once she managed to pull on her clothes, and grin at her best friend.

"Er," Isabella had gone blank, because if she was honest, she was elsewhere… All these clothes had Emmett written all over them.

"Look, wear this," Emily said fishing out a pair of black skinny jeans and a white tank top, she rifled through a large pile of shoes until she had picked out a pair of purple satin heels with a bow on the front. "I don't know why you have so many beautiful shoes… You only ever wear trainers."

"I have a mother who likes to shop," Isabella replied, pulling her dress off over her head, only as she struggled to get the thing over her head the doorknob went and she heard the door bang against the wall, and silence.

"Oh!" That was a voice she didn't recognise right off, but seemed familiar, it took Isabella a second to realise who it was, and then she swore silently, finally yanking the dress over her head, and shrugging as she dropped it to the floor.

"Sorry about this, we're getting ready for a party," Isabella said to an embarrassed looking Callie. "It's my party actually, at the summer house, I assume Emmett told you?"

The situation couldn't possibly be any worse, Isabella realised, as she quickly pulled on her jeans and t-shirt, covering her underwear. She fell onto her bed and pulled on her shoes, looking up at Callie.

"You coming?" She asked, she had to really didn't she? This was her best friend's girlfriend.

"Yeah, I was just wondering though…" Callie, tugged at the strap on her dress, and sighed. And for the first time since meeting the blonde Australian Isabella felt really guilty.

"I have something you could borrow, I mean, if that's what you want?" Isabella said, and cursed herself, she wasn't meant to be nice to this girl…

"Well, yeah, but it's just, I don't mind not coming along, I mean Emmett was your friend before he was my boyfriend," Now Isabella really couldn't hate the girl standing before her.

"Don't worry about it, here, try this dress on."

* * *

When they reached the summer house, which was conveniently settled on a stretch of private beach, there was already a large number of people there, and to Isabella's delight, Core.

Core was a new up and coming band that she went to school with, the lead singer was in her house, one which Isabella had taken a liking to, even if the music wasn't to everyone's taste.

The music was pumping, and fast, and the drinks were being shared throughout the property, and it was not too long before Isabella found herself standing with a large group of people around a table.

"I have never made out with my best friend!" Rose Weasley announced, a cup full of amber liquid in her hand, she looked around the group, Emily grinned at Isabella, grabbed Rose's cup and down the liquid.

"Look like the secrets out Bella," Emily grinned as the group looked at them amazed.

"That was a good night," Isabella laughed as she downed a cup of liquid, it burned its way down her throat, almost painfully, but she grinned at everyone. "Don't tell me we're the only ones." And with that three more people downed their drinks.

"Leo!" Emily laughed, grinning as Leo Finnigan slammed his cup down on the table having just downed his glass.

"What can I say?"

After another five or so minutes Isabella was on her third drink for the night. She was walking towards the beach house where the music was coming from, it was like one of those houses that you imagined in America, huge and made of wood painted white, light blue decking outside. A slice of heaven on their own private stretch of beach.

She felt someone come up behind her as she rested against the doorframe, looking out as others danced to the music. She did not turn to look at who it may be, but felt a male hand slide around her stomach and pull her against their chest.

"Come on, just one night," His voice was thick, teasing, and Isabella knew it instantly. She turned around, grinning at the blonde boy that towered over her, and was built like a rugby player.

"Oh Leo you know you're just not that lucky," Isabella purred, her lips against his ear, she knew she was being a tease, and she really couldn't bring herself to care.

"Oh come on, you know it'll be fun for both of us," Leo said in a low voice, she knew it was the one he used when he wanted to girl in his bed, he'd used it on her before, and once upon a time it worked, not anymore. Not on Isabella.

She looked at him for a second, taking in his easy stance, the boyish grin and floppy blonde hair, he was essentially cute, if it weren't for the ripped body beneath the blue polo shirt, and Isabella knew it would be fun. She bit her bottom lip, and grinned.

"Show me what you got then Finnigan."

* * *

"Have you seen Isabella?" Emily asked Emmett as she looked around the packed room, she'd been looking for her best friend for a good half an hour now, and she was starting to worry.

"No, I haven't," Emmett said quickly scanning the room, he looked to Callie who smiled at him, and smiled apologetically back at her before dropping her hand and moving towards the corridor, closely followed by Emily.

They opened the door along the corridor, seeing a few thing they rather have not seen, but continued on in hope of finding their friend. It was not until they had reached the last room that they found her, and even then Emily wondered if they really wanted to.

On the bed in the middle of the room they saw their best friend, entwined with Leo Finnigan, not even fully undressed, she turned her head slightly and caught their eyes, but did not stop.

Emily quickly shut the door instantly, and leant against it, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

Emmett was standing there beside her nodding his head, not saying anything.

"Finnigan, she…"

"She's upset Emmett," Emily said quietly, not daring to look at the older boy, because her eyes may betray her hurt towards him, because this was clearly hs fault.

"Yeah, I can see that."


	4. Chapter 4

"So what, Emmett can have a fling whenever he wants, and I sleep with Leo and it's a huge issue?" Isabella yelled as she got ready the following morning, shifting through her cupboards for a pair of shorts, she left clothes here and it made her life easier.

"Who said anything about Emmett? What I wanted to know as why you were with Leo? I thought you didn't like Leo?" Emily asked, holding her hands up, trying to ensure her best friend stopped yelling at her.

"Yeah, well, Leo notices me," Isabella said in a totally defeated tone. She looked at Emily with wide eyes, full of every emotion under the sun. "Leo thinks I'm beautiful and that I'm sexy… He wants me Emily, and isn't that brilliant? Emmett finds a girl after being away for three weeks, and completely forgets me, it's my birthday, and he barely talks to me… but Leo, he's always around."

"But you can't do that to Leo, just because he's there," Emily said, not quite wanting to say it, because she didn't want to upset her friend. "Before that would have been me, with a guy, not caring that someone walked into the room… Not you Izzy."

"Maybe I've changed," Isabella replied, getting to her feet now wearing a pair of shorts she had gotten out.

"But I know you better then that!"

* * *

"Isabella Potter, get in the damned shower now!" Hermione Potter yelled as she looked at the state that her daughter was in, it was summer, and hardly muddy, and yet there her daughter stood, dripping with thick, sludgy mud.

"I am mum!" Isabella gritted out, walking towards the bathroom, slamming the door loudly behind her. Almost instantly Hermione picked up a small muggle mobile and dialled a number.

"Emily, what happened to my daughter?" Hermione asked politely.

"Well, there was a bit of an argument, and it all got a little out of hand…"

_Isabella was sitting on the wooden rails that lined the walkway down to the beach, laughing as Emily leaned beside her, taking in the sunlight, and hoping to get a decent tan._

_They were waiting for some of their friends to either wake up from their various positions sprawled out on the living room floor, or to drag themselves from their own homes, and back to the beach._

_It did not take some that long to arrive and Isabella found herself smiling at Leo Finnigan as he leant on the railing beside her, grinning to himself as he felt her looking at him._

_"So how was your night Finnigan?" Isabella asked teasingly._

_"Meh, it alright," Leo replied smirking as Isabella pulled a mock hurt expression; Emily rolled her eyes, smiling at the pair, and wondered if her best friend could actually sustain a relationship with this moron. Not that Isabella even mentioned anything along the lines of a relationship…_

_Suddenly there was another person standing there as well. Almost instantly the tension around the small group sky rocketed and clearly nothing good could possibly come of this as Emmett practically growled at Leo._

_"What's up Malfoy?" Leo said, his boyish grin still firmly planted on his features, and perhaps Emmett had thought, in his clear rage, that Leo was trying to provoke him, and that was probably the reason he punched him._

_"EMMETT!" Isabella yelled, shoving him aside as she crouched over Leo, carefully taking his face into her hands and inspecting the damage. "What's your problem?"_

_"What's my problem? Seriously," Emmett demanded of Isabella as she stood before him, hand on hips, looking thoroughly pissed off._

_"Yeah, what's your damned problem?" Isabella snapped at him, it was unlike her to get this angry, especially with Emmett, they had been friends for far too long, and yet here they were._

_"You, you're acting like a slut! And him! Of all the people…"_

_Isabella did not say anything, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from spitting something out that she may just regret. She looked away from him, and she saw Callie standing in the doorway of her beach house… Watching the scene unsurely, and Isabella felt awful, because Callie was a nice girl, and she had be drawn into this by accident really._

_"Be with your girlfriend, it's not fair you leave her alone all the time."_

_It looked like for a second he was actually going to do what Isabella had said to him, but there was still too much fury in his eyes for him to just leave it now… So instead he turned back around and punched Leo again, until a full fight broke out._

_"STOP IT!" Isabella and Emily screamed, only at some point, a fist struck out, hitting Isabella in the stomach, and she found herself tumbling to the floor, and_

_**SPLAT!**_

_She heard Emily gasp, and scream at the boys, but as she picked herself up, and fell back under the slippery patch of mud that now covered her shorts and top, and probably was stuck in the necklace her mother had gotten her for her birthday, she found herself not listening to what was going on._

_Instead she crawled towards the sand, wincing slightly as she scraped her knee over a rock, before finally getting to her feet, and simply walking away._

_"You idiots!" Emily screamed once more, before rushing after her friend, leaving behind Leo and Emmett, and completely forgetting to tell her boyfriend she was even leaving._

Emily managed to skip the bits about the sex and other things that perhaps Isabella didn't want her mum to know.

"Oh," Hermione said pathetically, what else was she to say? She was sure her daughter would be devastated by the turn of events, because she had just wanted to have a laugh now that she was officially seventeen, a legal adult.

"Yeah, pretty much."


	5. Chapter 5

She did not go back to the beach house, she did not go to see her aunt Ginny who always had the best boy advice, or at the very least a tub of ice cream, she simply closed her door, locking it securely behind her, and sat on her bed, her knees drawn up under her chin, and stared out the window. It was still early, and the sun was low in the sky, partially blinding her as she looked out over the vast grounds on which her home sat.

There was a soft knock on the door and she knew it was Emily.

"It's only me, come on Isabella, let me in," Her voice was soft, and Isabella wondered for a second if she would, but she did not move from her position, and the resulting silence told her Emily had already walked away, knowing better then to argue with her stubborn best friend.

It must have been hours before there was another knock on her door, she once again did not move, preferring to remain in place, staring out into the darkening grounds, completely silent and still.

"Isabella?" His voice sent shocks through her body, she had not expected this, he was as stubborn as she was, if not more so. "If you don't open this door, I'll just blast it off its hinges."

She supposed right about then was a good time to move, so quickly she slipped off the bed and pulled open the door, she might have slammed it back in his overly smug face if it weren't for the fact that he had wedged his foot between the door and doorframe, and no matter how much she shoved at the door, it would not budge and break his stupid foot.

"Love you too babe," His voice was as smug as his expression, and it was hardly amusing. She walked away from the door seeing there would be no other option, she turned and faced him as he closed the door behind him, and realised quickly there was something strange in the atmosphere.

They had been alone in a bedroom before, they'd been together before, just that once… But now, it was like that again… The tension of feeling something was going to happen, and knowing it was not the right thing, external circumstances assured that.

"Emmett, go away," Her voice was pleading, and not annoyed as she had hoped she could fake. Clearly not.

"Finnigan?" Emmett asked her, ignoring her pleading, and suddenly there was more tension in the room, verging on painful, it was almost dizzying.

"When did you stop calling _Leo_ by his first name?" Isabella retorted, glaring in the direction of the one person she used to know she could trust so totally. Right now she didn't know if she could trust him with anything, he'd changed, as had she.

"When did you start shagging him?" His whole appearance changed now, he was suddenly angry, and angry was probably better then what was going on under the surface earlier.

"I didn't realise the two had anything to do with each other," Isabella snapped back, not liking where this was going, because quite clearly it could not be anywhere good. "And it doesn't matter when I started having sex with Leo, that's my business, you hitting him however… what's that all about?"

"You say that like you actually have no clue…" She was so surprised by how much he had deflated with that sentence, like it was meant to be so obvious to her, as clear as day, but right now everything was so clouded, because this was her best friend… But there was that something that wouldn't go away.

"Callie. You left Callie at home one her own," Her voice was breaking under the pressure of her words, she was backing away from him, as fast as she could, accidentally walking into her bed, she slipped around the side until her back was against the wall, as far away from him as she could be.

She didn't know why she felt like crying, but as he strode towards her she could feel the tears well in her eyes, she could feel the pressure of everything bubbling up inside her, and then, so quickly so suddenly, his lips were against her, something rough and gentle about them at the same time, forcing her lips to wart, and yet carefully, it didn't make sense and yet was so natural…

"Callie who?" His voice was teasing, telling her he would instantly throw that girl aside for her, Isabella, and to her surprise this just… disappointed her.

"Your girlfriend Emmett. Callie, your girlfriend. The one you dragged halfway across the world, the one who has been constantly pushed aside while she's been here," Isabella was angry now, pushing him away, and feeling the frustration build in her. "You didn't talk to me!"

He looked at her oddly for a second, not quite getting the change of subject so suddenly, but it dawned on him soon enough.

"I was… I just… You get bored, and you drop people, you're just like your dad when he was your age," She was accusing him now, of what she did not know, perhaps of simply being a bad boyfriend or love interest. "I had sex with you, and you dropped me! Me Emmett! Your best friend, supposedly. What is wrong with you?"

"I – I… What?!"

"You say I have no idea, but I know you better then anyone. I know you drop girls like they never matter, like they mean nothing, regardless of their feelings… I know you have done nothing but made Callie miserable since she got here, because suddenly there is a much more interesting game. But y'know what? I'm not interested, I'm not playing your stupid game." She was furious and tired at the same time, tired of having to realise only now what Emmett was all about, furious that he thought he had any right to play his stupid game with anyone.

"Leo wants me, like, actually wants me… And I was so prepared to give it up for you. I have no idea why," Isabella told Emmett, walking towards the door, and holding it open. "This is me out, I don't want it anymore."

"Bella…"

"I don't regret you being my first Emmett; I just regret that it took you almost tearing me and Leo apart..." Isabella said looking back at her best friend and feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "He'll make me happy, and I am when I'm with him, I just didn't realise... All those things in those stupid movies about girls and boys... We're not that Emmett."


	6. Chapter 6

"Hi," Her voice was soft, airy somehow.

"How was Emmett?" She blushed at his question, knowing the meaning behind it, and not wanting to face the reality of her last meeting with Emmett Malfoy, she knew it would never be the same again, but perhaps that was for the best.

"Emmett was Emmett. I think he realised the lines that he must not cross… with me at the very least," Her words were slow, deliberate, making him look up at her from the miniature quaffle he had been inspecting, perhaps for something to give him to look at. "You see Emmett is a very complicated person, he's a very mean person, unintentionally, but still… He just needed to hear some things."

"You screaming his name?"

"I didn't sleep with Emmett, not again," Her tone was snappish, and it was what he needed to hear, that slight insulted tone to her voice, it was what made him stand up before her, bearing done on her much smaller frame, a smile playing on his lips.

"You're just as complicated as Emmett, y'know," His voice was teasing, and yet there was something sensitive about the way he said it that let her know he was not insulting her.

"True, I'd probably argue I'm just a little bit more complicated."

"I believe that," he was looking at her, but more than just looking, it was like he was reading her, reading every single little thing that had happened, he was so much more than just that boyish lad, or a good roll around in the bed, he was… "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do I normally want to talk about it?" Isabella replied, grinning up at him, his blonde hair falling into teasing eyes, he looked so much like Emmett, and yet nothing a like at the same time, but whatever, he was gorgeous, in more ways than one.

"No, you don't," he replied, smiling down at her with amusement. "But there's a first time for everything."

"I thought we were in a movie, a girl and boy, I guess I thought that we'd always end up together because that's what the movies say... I was caught up in a blur of fiction, I forgot I'm stuck in reality," Isabella told him honestly, looking up into his eyes. Leo furrowed his brows as he looked down at her, before grinning.

"Seriously? I mean, seriously?"

"Leo Finnigan, will you just be quiet!" Isabella laughed, looking up at him with a bright smile, suddenly aware of just how close they were, he seemed to notice it too.

"And how to you propose I do that?" He was teasing and taunting her again, and it didn't annoy her, she simply found it amusing, as she always did with Leo, because how could he possibly do anything to ever hurt her… He couldn't.

Perhaps it was then that she realised that she had always known… Emmett had always been her safe option, by no means painless, and yet there had always been this thing with him, a dance of sorts like it was in the movies, it was never clear, but there regardless, and yet with Leo everything was so easy, sitting there right in front of her, she didn't bore of it, she enjoyed every moment.

So she leaned up and pressed her lips against his, surprising him, because that was not what he had expected her reaction to be, and yet by no means upsetting him at all.

"If you're kissing me, then you're not talking."


End file.
